Many students are involved on campus in one way or another,
whether it be in a club sport, a dance team or another student organization. These
organizations are great ways to build a new family and work together toward a
common cause. In most cases these organizations aren’t run by a professor or
administrator, but rather by a student much like you. You might ask, “How is it
that a just a normal student can run an organization of their peers?” Well
let’s look at the path of one shining example, our very own Ms. Brianna
Hammond, the current Secretary of the National Society of Black Engineers Region II
Executive Board.
Brianna’s path to the Regional Executive Board began after a
summer picnic when she was introduced to the organization by several
upperclassmen. In the fall she attended meetings and made NSBE her second
family. By the time the springtime rolled around Brianna had been fortunate
enough to attend NSBE conferences in Norfolk, Virginia and Las Vegas, Nevada,
and she was ready to take her involvement to the next level. Although initially
apprehensive, with the guidance of friends and advisers, she ran for a position
on the chapter executive board. In her sophomore year Brianna was the chapter’s
Communications Chair and was placed in charge of making updates to the bulletin
boards, maintaining the chapter’s social media presence, and creating and
distributing the weekly email blast. While challenging, the position taught her
several lessons in leadership that she has built on each year since then during
her tenure as chapter Vice President and chapter President. The next big step was the leap from the
chapter board to the regional board, which required a different set of skills
and introduced the concept of working on a board larger than her local Penn
State chapter. Again, though unsure at first, Brianna made the decision to give
it a try and was successfully elected as the regional Secretary for the 2012-2013
school year. As with each position she has held, the learning curve was steep
but the benefits of the position far outweighed any initial uncomfort. Now nearing the end of her term, Brianna
looks back and had this to say about her experience:
“My experiences in
this organization have proved to be some of the most unique and exciting that
I’ve ever had! I am honored to come from Penn State’s amazing NSBE family, and am
thrilled to have expanded that family to the Region II Executive Board. I strongly encourage those who are pursuing
leadership to take advantage of the opportunities that this organization has to
offer. They truly are one-of-a-kind J
”
A recent alumna and aspiring graduate student, Brianna is a
polished, proven leader prepared to tackle any situation she might encounter in
her bright future. While she might seem like it, Brianna is no superwoman. She
started as any freshman does, wide-eyed and unsure. Her maturation was the
result of solid planning, hard work, and a desire to make a difference in the
world. Student leaders are normal people just like you! Hopefully this has
encouraged you to consider expanding your leadership experience. If you’d like to
contact Brianna, she can be reached at brianna.mj.hammond@gmail.com
